Looking for the Safest Bicycle Helmet? Many Sold Online Don’t Meet U.S. Safety Standards

Most consumers know the importance of a bike helmet when it comes to decreasing the chances of a head injury. Looking for the safest bicycle helmet is a common goal for any cyclist.

Purchasing a bike helmet online has become popular, but it’s not without risks. Recent research shows that many helmets sold online don’t meet basic safety standards and instead pose critical risks for those who wear them.

Many helmets may seem like a great deal because of the low price. But failing to do adequate research could come at a steep cost to you or your children in the event of a bike accident. A recent study by Consumer Reports found a plethora of helmets on the market that have not undergone required testing.

According to Consumer Reports, bicycle helmets sold in the U.S. are supposed to meet Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards which require “a certain level of protection from skull fracture and a detailed label with information demonstrating compliance with CPSC standards.”

But for online shoppers, it can be difficult to discern the safest bicycle helmet from one that may look great, but does little to protect the rider’s head.

In its study, Consumer Reports purchased 13 different bike helmets from four online retailers, Amazon.com, Sears.com, Aliexpress.com (a subsidiary of Chinese retail giant Alibaba), and LightInTheBox.com (a global retail company with headquarters in Beijing).

None of the helmets purchased had the mandated CPSC label. Some met European helmet requirements, but fell short on U.S. standards, which mandate that a helmet be capable of sutaining a very strong impact.

In an interview with NBC News, bike helmet expert Dr. Fred Rivara, vice chair of the department of pediatrics at the University of Washington, said he was “shocked that there are helmets sold here the United States that don’t meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission standards.“

It’s illegal to sell bike helmets in the U.S. without the CPSC label. While Consumer Reports points out that the lack of the CPSC label alone does not necessarily mean those helmets are unsafe, it does mean that thorough testing was not conducted. The publication characterized the lack of a label as very problematic since most consumers don’t know to check for it.

According to NBC News, the CPSC requires every helmet sold in the U.S. to have the following information on the label:

• A statement saying: “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 5 and Older” or “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 1 and Older (Extended Head Coverage).”
• The name, address and telephone number of the manufacturer or importer.
• Information, such as the serial number, that identifies the month and year the helmet was made and the production lot.

All four retailers told Consumer Reports they would remove the helmets in question from their inventory, but NBC News found that LightInTheBox “did not respond.”

A skull fracture is one of the most dangerous head injuries a cyclist can suffer. A bicycle helmet goes a long way in preventing critical or life-threatening traumatic brain injuries, especially when it meets CPSC safety standards and is the proper size and fit for the cyclist.

Consumers rely on bike helmets to meet certain safety standards in the event of an accident. It’s one reason why many people research the safest bicycle helmet before buying one. A cyclist who was critically injured in a bike crash and learned after the fact that a product was unsafe could pursue a defective product lawsuit. Top Class Actions can help connect you with a lawyer if you’ve been injured by a defective product.

Join a Free Bicycle Helmet Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased a bicycle helmet within the last couple of years that does not measure up to the current technology available, you may qualify to join this bike helmet safety class action lawsuit investigation.

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